Why Rapid Transit?

To Handle Growth in our Core

London is expected to be 77,000 people greater by 2035. A number of new residential developments in the works downtown will be home to many of them, so we need to be able to move a lot of people in and out of the core of our city efficiently. At the same time, rapid transit creates opportunities for the rest of the LTC system to reach further with increased frequency and longer hours, better serving our entire growing city.

To Manage Increased Capacity

Already, more than 100 buses per hour travel the proposed rapid transit corridors at peak times, and more are needed to effectively meet demand. Dedicated rapid transit lanes keep buses flowing smoothly through downtown, while the structures in place allow features like all-door boarding and ground-level entry that significantly speed up stops. At the same time, cars move easily past buses rather than being stopped behind them.

To Reduce Congestion

A bus carries 70 people. If those 70 people each drove a car, their cars would stretch all the way from Oxford to Pall Mall along Richmond, or the entire length of Victoria Park. By making the trip more reliable and enjoyable, rapid transit will help more people choose the space-saving bus.

To Save Time

In addition to taking more than 10 minutes off of a trip from, for example, White Oaks Mall to Masonville Mall, rapid transit reduces transfer times during that trip. Frequent buses on the spine of our transit system will mean most riders no longer have to plan for making connections and can travel more efficiently and freely around the city.

To Create Better Transit Places

Now that we’ve identified the highest-use areas of the city, the permanency of rapid transit lets us build better stations and amenities into our system that make the transit experience more comfortable and safer. These facilities and the surrounding transit villages will in turn provide market opportunities for local business owners.

To Improve Accessibility

With dedicated transit lanes, we can build accessible platforms that allow for level boarding with wheelchairs, assistive devices, and strollers. And more frequent buses–both rapid transit and across the system–will mean those travellers spend less time waiting for a bus with adequate room for them.

To Burst the Western Bubble

With public transit that connects students easily, effectively, and reliably to more areas of the city, we can expect increased traffic–and spending!–in more areas of London. That also means the 60,000 students that live in London are more likely to participate in activities in the community throughout the city, and to find a place where they can see themselves feeling at home after graduation.

To Attract More Talent

Our city’s employers have told us that transit options do matter to the talented people they interview. Whether it’s students we want to keep in the city, or professionals from other cities, a reliable and pleasant transit experience makes a difference to them.

To Save Money

Rapid transit help provide effective transportation to more people with fewer road widenings than we’d need to accommodate more cars. It’s also cheaper to operate in the long run than it would be to continue with business as usual, simply putting more buses on our streets.

To Make Our Streets Safer (and healthier)

The higher capacity of rapid transit means fewer cars on our roads, and that equates to fewer vehicle accidents. Well-ordered traffic also makes driving, biking, and even walking smoother and safer. Through the health benefits of increased active transportation and decreased greenhouse gas emissions, rapid transit also makes our city healthier.

To Support Emergency Services

Emergency vehicles like police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks will be able to use rapid transit lanes, giving them a faster, less-obstructed way of getting where help is needed.

To Make Transit a First-Class Option

When it comes down to it, we should be creating mobility options that work for everyone, and rapid transit is part of creating a high-quality transportation system for a large portion of our population.